Reflections in the Lake
by zelda3469
Summary: Mai begins to unknowingly dream of Naru's past. Afraid that she might reveal his secrets, Naru simply tells her to ignore those dreams, and to only focus on the current case at hand. While on the job, Mai not only experiences the horrors of the spirits haunting their client's estate, but she also continues to experience the ghosts of her employer's traumatic history.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, feel free to kill me. I had planned to focus more on Ambivalence (if you don't know what that is you should totally check out my profile and read my little summary about it), but this just sort of happened. Really, it came out of no where, and the story is writing itself pretty quickly. I already have the next chapter completed! Go me! But, I'm not going to publish it for another week. I want to see what you all think of this first. Also might change things around in the second chapter too, it depends what I think when I read it over again in a couple of days. So, now that I'm done rambling, please enjoy and drop me a review if you like what you read!**

* * *

Everything was quiet and still in the headquarters of Shibuya Psychic Research - or SPR, as the insiders called it. Not even the sizzling of the stove cut through the silence, nor did the whistle of a kettle, as was the norm a quarter past noon. The small kitchen in the far corner of the office had been unoccupied all day, its caretaker late. Teacups still sat in the sink from the long day before, soapy water nearly flowing over their smooth edges while a matching teapot was left on the counter, a clean rag neatly settled beneath it. The porcelain pot seemed to call out eagerly, demanding to filled with warm herbal tea, but it was ignored. Only one employee ever took pity on the white teapot, and she wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Alone in his office, the CEO of the small but efficient company thumbed through the stacks of paper on his desk. Nothing really caught his interest as he briefly scanned over the first few lines of each page before moving on to the next. Though he seemed quick to judge, Kazuya Shibuya was very proficient in his work, even when he seemed distracted. Not only was he one of the top in his field, but he had only just turned eighteen. Many of his potential clients always found it a shock that a boy his age could have managed to build such a successful business from the ground up. Often, Lin Koujo, one of Kazuya's two assistants as well as a powerful Onmyoji, would be mistaken as the head of SPR.

Shoving away the last few papers in the stack he was searching through, Kazuya glanced at the white digital numbers in the lower corner of his computer screen. His second assistant, Mai Taniyama, was nearly ninety minutes late. With an irritated sigh, Kazuya, or Naru - short for narcissist - as his tardy assistant deemed him, slouched back into his chair while running a stable hand through his dark bangs. It was very typical of Mai to rush through the door a few minutes past eleven, declaring that she had, indeed, made it on time, but never had she been more than thirty minutes late without phoning Naru. Frankly, he was beginning to somewhat worry about her - though he would never admit it. Almost an hour prior he had attempted to get in touch with the younger girl, but she never answered any of his calls.

At first, Naru suspected that Mai had overslept. The day before he kept her longer than he had originally intended and most likely she didn't even return home until sometime in the early hours of the morning. It was a logical explanation, but why she wasn't answering the cell phone he had given her a little while back, or her house phone? It raised several alarming suspicions.

Glancing at his computer screen again - of course the time had only changed by about forty seconds or so - Naru let a heated breath out through his nose. He would give her until one, and if she wasn't standing next to his desk with a fresh cup of tea, so help him, she better be in serious trouble. Naru pinched the bridge of his nose and shut his eyes. He really did hope that Mai wasn't in any kind of danger; the last thing he wanted was his bright-eyed assistant to wind up in some kind of mess where she was at risk for injury. That, and rescuing her was honestly becoming a chore as of late since he always, _always_, seemed to swoop in and save her at the last second.

Opening his eyes, Naru gave himself another brief moment to collect his thoughts. He had to take his mind off Mai for just a little longer. There was still work that needed to be done before he could determine whether to investigate the current case that he had been proposed with or not. So far, he hadn't found anything too appealing, but then again, there were still three monstrous towers of papers to examine. Sitting up straight, he reached out for the first document on the stack closest to him and began his process of combing through research and various details all over again.

* * *

_It was dark, and she was walking. She could see the crisp outline of the moon shining dimly in the sky. It was the only light, and even with its pasty-white glow, Mai could barely see where she was going. The bottoms of her shoes crushed fallen twigs hidden beneath long blades of grass as she moved. There was a road not too far from her location, and if she could manage to find it-_

_Wait, how would she know that?_

_-but even if she did find it... Why was something telling her that staying away from the road would be a good thing?_

_Mai wanted to stop walking, but like in most of her dreams, her body didn't listen. Instead, it kept on going. She never did find the road, though, or at least she thought so. Yet, still, she didn't feel right._

_Two beams of light suddenly appeared before her. They rushed towards her with great speed, and Mai's world grew brighter. As she glanced down, she noted the black, rocky edge her feet seemed to straddle._

_She should have been moving... Why wasn't she moving?!_

_Mai looked back up, her gaze fixed on the lights that were coming closer. Again, she began to walk, but her instincts concerning the road still seemed to be ignored. Rather than getting as far away from it as humanly possible, she walked along it, her head bowed down._

_The lights were getting closer._

_Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw the target of those lights briefly change, but before she could even look up to confirm her theory, however, pain exploded in her side and she went down. Her head met the ground with a bang, and black dots clouded her vision. Sticky red oozed from the fresh wound in her skull and colored clumps of her chestnut hair._

_She could smell burning rubber, and through her foggy vision Mai could make out a tire. It was only inches away from her face, ominously gazing back into her frightened irises._

_"I'm so sorry..." Mai heard a sobbing woman whisper. Her eyes jumped up, searching for the woman, but she couldn't see much beyond the dented metal hovering over her twitching form. She did manage to catch a glimpse of two pale legs and the hem of a sky blue skirt. That was it._

_"H-help..." she moaned out meekly, a shaky hand reaching up into the air. Fingers fumbling to grasp onto something, Mai gasped as salty tears trailed down her cheeks, "Please..."_

_A door slammed shut, and Mai's eyes went unnaturally wide as they shifted back to the tire less than an arm's length away. Her body stiffened, she could have sworn it just jerked forward and-_

_She didn't scream; it happened too quickly. In fact, before she could even entertain the idea, she had been squashed as if she were a bug. Mai expected to hear the car that had just run her over continue on its way, leaving her still body to bleed out. But the car only pulled to a halt a few meters away. The hum of the engine then died away with a click._

_Grass muffled footsteps approached her prone form, along with the hiccupped cries of that woman. She kept saying she was sorry, over and over again as if Mai would understand. Mai did want to reply, to beg for the woman's assistance, but she couldn't move. Frozen in place, she watched from dying eyes as the woman drew nearer, her face cupped in her hands._

_With slow, weak breaths, Mai parted her lips. She could feel a tiny warm stream seeping out over her bottom lip and dribble down her chin._

Noll...

_Who was Noll? Was she hearing someone else? Was it the woman, perhaps?_

_A pair of soft hands grasped the undersides of her arms. Slowly, she began to slide backwards as the woman, whose face she still hadn't seen, pulled her away. As her legs were dragged across the grass, leaving many of the green blades coated with crimson, Mai's head fell forward, lolling onto her shoulder slightly. Eyes barely cracked open, she could see discolored splotches staining the dark slacks she wore. She even saw her feet, but she couldn't feel them. It wasn't until she examined them that she realized one of her shoes was missing, leaving one sock clad foot to follow in the shallow trench left behind by her legs._

_Closing her eyes completely, Mai felt her entire body go lax. Then, suddenly she was snapping her eyes open again. Cold prickled at her skin and cushioned her like a blanket. Rolling her head to the side, her gaze blurred, Mai let out a pained groan. Bubbles darted from her mouth and tickled her nose._

_Chest tightening, Mai blinked a few times and took in a shocked breath. Water flooded into her mouth, and as she coughed, it began filling up her lungs. Frantically waving her arms, she struggled. She needed to surface, she had to. It couldn't be her time; there were still things she needed to do, things she needed to tell people..._

Naru... _she thought. Mai didn't get the chance to tell him. She would have to make it for-_

Noll.

_That thought didn't belong to her, and the woman had all but vanished from her view._

Forgive me, Noll...

_She sank further and further in the depths of this new darkness._

* * *

Naru stepped back into the SPR office, soaked to the bone. Clear beads of water clung to strands of his black hair, and his wet buttondown was plastered against his body. In his arms, covered with his coat, was his unconscious assistant. Lin, standing in the doorway of his own private office, raised a dark eyebrow as Naru kicked the door shut behind him. He didn't utter a word though; he only conveyed his frustration at the Chinese man through indigo eyes. Shaking his head, his mouth shut into a thin line, Lin slowly retreated to the inside of his office, not once shifting his gaze from Naru until he shut the door.

Placing Mai on the sofa, his long jacket still draped over her body, he let a long breath out through his nose as his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. To say he was furious would have been an understatement, and it wasn't because he had been drenched in the nasty storm brewing outside.

Not only had he found Mai asleep, but the door to her apartment was wide open. Her key was even still clutched in her hand, and her body was sprawled out on the floor. Something more serious could have happened, like someone else could have stumbled upon her open door. What if he hadn't gone looking for her?

Naru balled his hand into a tight fist, just the mere thought of anything happening to his assistant, his Mai-

Whoa... Where did that come from? He shot a glance at her still face, his dull nails digging further into his own skin. Was he really that possessive of his own employee...?

Before he had much time to clearly think on the subject, Mai started to mumble, and she rolled onto her side, her fingers curling around the inside of the coat keeping her warm. Naru sank down onto the empty space by her head, his hand gently brushing over her round face. The instant his fingers touched her soft skin, Mai's lips parted slightly further apart, and she whispered something.

"Noll..."

He jerked his hand back, his body going stone still. Where on earth had she heard that?

"Forgive me, Noll..."

That sounded familiar to Naru, too familiar in fact. He dropped his gaze from Mai to the tops of his shoes. Was she dreaming about him? Had she maybe somehow seen something from his past? Or did it mean he was close to finding what he had spent two years searching for?

Her eyes flickered open, and Mai let out a terrified scream. It was dark, and she was going down, down, down. She felt so cold, as if she were bathing in a tub filled with cubes of ice. Her body trembled and shook, and while she shivered, she kicked her feet as if she were attempting to swim. She had to stop sinking, she had to stop!

Naru grabbed onto her shoulders and pulled her up close to him. His coat fell to the floor, completely forgotten as a struggling Mai attempted to break free from his hold. Wrapping his arms around her petite build, he shifted her into his lap. Her wordless shouts only droned on. All she could see was the darkness that had engulfed her and dragged her down into a watery abyss; all she could remember was the pain and shock of death.

"Mai!" she heard Naru's voice loud in her ear, but she was still sinking - her body was sinking and, no one would ever find it! She would be stuck; she would never be able to flee!

"Mai!" Naru yelled again, this time slapping her. "Mai, wake up!"

Everything went quiet seconds after. She had stopped, finally. Naru gazed down at her and inwardly cringed. A bright red handprint was blooming on her rosy face. That outline of the mark perfectly matched the shape of his hand. He struck her... He struck his hand against a woman's delicate cheek.

Tears welled up in Mai's eyes, and she sniffled as she took in a shaky breath. Her boss tightened his jaw. She wasn't going to start crying because he hit her, was she? He hadn't meant to strike her hard enough to leave a mark behind; he was only trying to snap Mai out of her trance.

Grabbing onto him, she buried her face in his chest and the water pooling in her eyes spilled over. A comforting hand slowly worked its way up and down her back - its owner still feeling somewhat guilty - and began rubbing over her tense muscles, doing its best to soothe her, yet Mai didn't notice as she continued to tremble.

"Are you alright, Mai?" came Naru's flat voice as he allowed his other hand to carefully cradle the back of her head and hold it to his shoulder.

"It... It was..." she sobbed, her iron grip on Naru's drenched clothing forcing her knuckles to go white. "It was horrible, Naru!" Mai finally got out, her tears disappearing into the saturated fabric covering his torso. Naru didn't question Mai further, and allowed her to continue crying on his chest without a word. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Lin's door crack open, but Naru paid it no mind. It was Lin's job to keep an eye on things, to make sure no one got into serious trouble - more specifically Naru.

"There were headlights," Mai started up again, her face still buried in his body, "then all I could smell was burning rubber and-"

"Shh..." Naru cut her off, "Don't force yourself to relive it." He really was trying to comfort her, even though his voice seemed harsh and cold. If only his social skills matched those of his intellect. "Just try and calm down. I'll have Lin make you tea if you would like."

* * *

It had been almost an hour since Naru had retreated back into his office and Mai had managed to compose herself. She still hadn't enlightened Naru on the full details of her dream. Typically, he demanded to know the instant she woke what it was she saw. Maybe it was because she was a sobbing disaster when reality came back into focus. Perhaps he thought she was too unintelligible at the time to provide him with accurate information. That seemed likely.

Finished with all the mountains of folders that need to be filed - realistically, it was maybe one or two stacks - Mai let her head fall onto her desk. Although her day had begun with an unexpected twist, it was sure to end as dully as all the others.

"Mai, tea," came the first order of the day. Jerking up off her desk, Mai groaned. It was just going to turn out to be another typical day.

Dragging herself into the small kitchen, Mai answered back in false, chirpy tone, "Coming right up!"

Water boiling on the stove, she stood on the tips of her toes, reaching up into the cabinets for a couple of clean cups. Knowing Naru, he would request tea another three or four times - perhaps even more due to her tardiness and his lack of morning beverages - before the hour was up. He was a tea-addict after all.

After pouring the hot, black liquid into a pale cup, Mai reached over for a plain jar innocently sitting on the counter, behind the coffee maker. Once she had moved it a little closer to her, she dove into one of the drawers for a small silver spoon.

When she was younger, Mai always added honey into her tea, just like her mother. It wasn't too sweet, and the tea didn't seem to leave as strong of a bitter aftertaste. Her first few days at SPR she found that not a drop of golden honey was to be seen. It was when she began adding honey to her own tea that things in the office began to change. One day, by mistake, she had accidentally swapped the cup she had made for herself with the one she had prepared for her arrogant yet good looking employer. He never requested anything but black tea until that day. And now, it would have been a crime to forget the teaspoonfull of gooey sweetness blended with Naru's tea.

The thought made Mai giggle. Naru pouting when his tea didn't have just that hint of sugary tang. He must of had a some secret sweet tooth no one know about, or he really was just a big softy underneath those incredibly handsome, yet scary eyes of his.

Knocking on his door, Mai briefly waited for approval before entering Naru's evil liar- uruhm... office. Placing his drink on his desk, Mai glanced over at the dark haired boy typing away on his computer. He didn't even do so much as look at her before opening his mouth, "Mai, I need you to call everyone up except for Ms. Hara and Father Brown. We have a case."

So straight to the point...

With a nod and a hushed "yes," she began walking towards the door.

"Oh, and Mai."

She froze momentarily before turning back around to face him. Naru was already holding his warm teacup with both hands, lazily sipping at it.

"Yes?" She hesitantly stepped towards him.

"Come back in here once you've phoned everyone. There are a few things we need to discuss." He waved her off, sending her on her way. When the door shut behind his assistant, Naru stirred the small spoon in his cup around in circles. Before taking another sip, he stuck the silver utensil in his mouth and cleansed it of whatever honey was still clinging to its shiny surface. The taste reminded him of Mai. Of course she was the one to originally serve him his tea with honey, but everytime he tasted the thick syrup, he always wondered if Mai's lips tasted just as sweet.

Shaking his head, the young CEO placed his already half-empty teacup on his desk. He really needed to keep those thoughts from interfering with his work. Mai was his assistant, a friend at most - that was it. It would be highly unprofessional to think of her otherwise. Naru just had to keep his hormones in check, that was all. He didn't feel anything for Mai, at least, not in a romantic sense. She was just an attractive girl, and he was only a young man two years her senior. It only seemed natural that his thoughts concerning her might stray from time to time.

But then, why had he always been the one to save her when she was in trouble? Naru convinced himself it was because Mai was his responsibility while on the job... So why had he felt so angry, no furious, no... He had been worried. Why had he been so worried about her whenever she was late? In the best interest of his business, he should have deemed Mai irresponsible and docked her pay. That's what anyone else would have done, yet, the one day she was over two hours late he had shown up on her doorstep and of all things carried her back to SPR in the rain. Deep down, Naru did care, he really did, but he would never admit it, not even to himself.

"Naru?" Mai tapped on the door with the back of her hand several times, yanking the dark-headed teen from his thoughts. Had she already called that quickly? He glanced down at the clock on his computer before his eyebrows shot up in surprise. Had he really been lost in his own thoughts concerning Mai for the past ten minutes? How could he have allowed himself to think about her for so long?

"Enter," Naru demanded, folding his hands neatly on his desk.

Opening the door, Mai slipped into his office. She was carrying a tray with two full teacups settled on its smooth surface. After closing the door behind her with her foot, she made her way over to Naru's desk and set the circular tray down next to a stack of papers. Taking one of the warm cups, Mai sat down in the chair opposite her employer's desk.

"I made you another cup," she stated simply, as if Naru had been interrogating her, and glanced down at her lap, blushing. "I figured that you had already finished your other one."

Eyes swiftly moving from the cold, half empty cup he had set down earlier and his assistant, Naru nodded. Reaching for the fresh cup of tea, he glanced at a manila folder perched at top of his stack of neatly organized papers.

"Mai, I would like you to read through the case file along with some of the research I've come across." He paused as Mai's gaze met his. "But before you do, I would like you to inform me on the details of your dream."

As she took a small sip of her tea, Mai shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Well," she started, somewhat hesitant. Naru only stared at her, his mask of stoicism concealing his sense of unease.

"I was walking alongside a road, and there was a car coming." Mai briefly locked her eyes with Naru's before casting her focus elsewhere. Maintaining his neutral expression, Naru raised his cup to his lips. "And then," she paused, rubbing a hand along the back of her neck, "it hit me." Brown eyes watering, she continued. "Everything hurt, and there was so much blood." Her hold on her own teacup was unsteady, and the warm liquid sloshed over the sides, staining her bright colored clothes with brown dots.

Meanwhile, Naru was deep in thought, vividly reminded of a rather similar dream he had experienced on multiple occasions. He could remember every detail; from the woman with this light blue skirt to the patterns etched into the tire that ran him over twice.

"There was a woman," Mai sniffled, both hands enclosing her teacup, "but I couldn't see her face. She kept saying that she was sorry. When I asked her for help, she was gone." Going nearly stone still, she returned her attention to Naru. She waited until he was looking at her. Mai could tell by the odd shine in his sapphire irises that something wasn't quite right.

"Before I could even begin to call out for her, the car ran over me again." Tears slowly leaked from the edges of her eyes and trailed down her cheeks, leaving wet streaks behind. "She thought I was dead, I think, but I was barely alive."

Naru knew exactly where Mai was going, and that concerned him for two reasons. One, even though she wasn't aware of it, Mai was digging up certain aspects of his past - and present, even - that he was not ready to share with her… Or anyone else he had met while in Japan. Two, she had experienced the exact death that had caused him to completely lose it shortly over two years prior to the current date. He never wanted anyone else to feel the pain of that particular death. It was his burden to bear; it was his fault that it had happened.

"I think she threw me into some body of water. I was drowning, sinking, and I didn't have it in me to save myself." She finished, bowing her head as the salty tears continued to roll down her face and drip off the edge of her chin.

The room remained silent except for an occasional shaky sigh that did a poor job of concealing a sob until Naru spoke, "Mai, if you can, I would like for you to forget about it - that dream."

"Why?" she breathed, looking up at him.

"It isn't pertinent to the case, I'm positive of that, and I don't want you focusing on any visions that are irrelevant to our current work," Naru stated simply as he set his nearly empty teacup down.

"Oh..." Mai wiped her puffy eyes with her sleeve before attempting to get herself together. She felt that she should have been angry, but was too traumatized to care. Naru was only concerned with his job and what she could contribute. Nothing else.

"And Mai, I also think it would be in your best interests to forget about it. Clearly, this particular dream has upset you more so than others," he said in a monotone voice. Mai then nodded, feeling slightly better. Maybe Naru really did care... That, or he simply didn't want to babysit a weeping mess of an assistant.

"Yeah..." she nodded, glancing at her lap to find her yellow skirt soaked with most of her tea. "Dang it..." she muttered, standing up. She quickly took a few small strides forward and placed her cup on the edge of Naru's desk.

"You really can be such an idiot," Naru huffed, the corner of his lip twitching up into an almost smile. The brunette opened her mouth, prepared to retort until she caught sight of her employer's face. It was then that her own expression turned a very dark shade of red. "There's a change of clothes in that closet. You left them in the van after our last case." He pointed over to his left as he stood.

Walking past Mai and to the door leading into the rest of the small office, Naru spoke again, "Once you've finished changing, I would like you to read through those case files like I mentioned earlier and meet me in the lounge." Halfway out the door, he paused and turned his head back. "Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?" Mai tilted her head, their eyes meeting again.

"Tea."

* * *

**Omake:**

**"Come back in here once you've phoned everyone. There are a few things we need to discus." He waved her off, sending her on her way. When the door shut behind his assistant, Naru stirred the small spoon in his cup around in circles. He took the spoon from his drink and stuck the silver utensil in his mouth. To his disappointment, there wasn't any honey.**

**As he lifted the cup up to his mouth - his mood already sour due to the lack of gooey sweetness - he almost thought he heard someone giggling. Shaking his head, Naru finally brought the cup to his lips and and took a sip.**

**Spitting it out immediately, he coughed. His usually sweet tea was bitter and salty, and quite frankly, it did not taste very good at all. Glancing into the cup, he growled. There was a small mound of tiny white particles settled in the teacup, and it definitely wasn't sugar.**

**"Mai!"**

**Thanks to LEva114 for editing.**


	2. Chapter 2

Members of Naru's small team gathered in the SPR lounge area, chatting away about nonsense as if they were in a coffee shop, to his dismay. He had Mai call everyone in for a reason, and that reason was not to hold some sort of gathering where everyone could gossip. They had a new case, and Naru intended to disclose all of the current information he had on said case, as well as question Mai on what she thought about certain aspects of it and if she found anything in particular to be of interest. Her intuition was never wrong, and it was one of the precious few things Naru actually trusted, even if ninety-nine percent of the time Mai didn't.

As he crossed his legs, a manilla folder caught between his fingers, his eyes lingered on his short-haired assistant. She was smiling, even giggling every once and a while as the miko and monk found themselves in the midst of a rather ridiculous argument, but she didn't speak. It was strange to see her somewhat reserved, merely listening rather than participating. It seemed more like something he would do. If anyone else had been paying attention to her, they might have said he was rubbing off on her, but Naru knew the truth. That vision she had been forced to witness through a dead man's eyes was the cause of her odd behavior.

"Why you little!" Ayako shrieked, whacking the dirty blond monk with the back of her hand. Yelping at the sudden sting, Houshou narrowed his eyes and sent an angry glare in the shrine maiden's direction.

"What was that for?!" He rubbed the growing bump on his head with his hand as he hissed in slight discomfort.

"That was for calling me old." She snorted, a semi-satisfied smile working its way onto her red painted lips. She brushed a hand through her long, crimson hair as she cast her gaze away from the rebellious monk.

"Ouch, Bou-san. It looks like you've done it this time, my love!" teased a very loud Yasu as he clung onto the older man's arm. Naru almost rolled his eyes. It never ceased to amaze him how such an immature imbecile could be such an asset when it came to research. Yasuhara's ability to get the information he needed was actually one of the other few things Naru trusted. Personally, Naru would rather be on site during a case instead of digging up information, even if he was good at it. While running his investigations, Naru prefered to keep a close eye on the activity, as well as one particular employee that had such a knack for trouble.

"If she makes you sleep on the couch, you're always welcome at my place." He wiggled his eyebrows and waggled a suggestive finger. Shifting closer to the hot-headed miko, Houshou - or Monk, as many preferred to call him - shivered in disgust.

"Do you really have to creep me out like that all the time?" he groaned, painfully playing over Yasu's last statement in his mind. Muttering to himself, he rolled his eyes. There was no way Ayako could ever make him sleep on the couch-

Wait a second.

"Hey! What makes you think she and I live together?!" the monk shouted as a pink blush worked up onto the surface of his cheeks. The woman next to him nearly choked on her tea in surprise and snapped her head in Yasu's direction, her eyes shooting invisible beams of utter hate at him.

"Takigawa, Mrs. Matsuzaki, if you two are quite finished bickering like an old married couple (yes, even he, the boy who might as well have been emotionally challenged since he came out of the womb, could easily pick up on the obvious feelings they shared), then I suggest we get straight to business," Naru calmly said, his patience waning. "And Yasuhara, if you could please maintain some semblance of dignity and act the least bit mature," he paused, glaring through the thick, foggy glass in front of his researcher's gray eyes, "it would be greatly appreciated by all of us."

Training his view on Naru, Yasu beamed as he clasped his hands together. "Oh! I'm so sorry, Naru-chan! I didn't mean to ignore you! How could I? You are such a handsome stud after all, don't you agree, Mai?"

The unusually quiet girl went stiff as everyone in the room focused on her - even Lin, who was standing in the doorway to his office. They all seemed to be waiting, prepared to hang on her every word as if she were going to pour her heart out to the boy sitting only inches away from her. Hah! As if!

When Naru's eyes fixed on her though, she blushed deeply and looked away. Those blue pools he had for eyes were eating her, drowning her in a deep sea of her own, confusing feelings.

"Come on Mai, I know you think he's hot!"

If Naru would have allowed her to strangle Yasu, she would have done it in a heartbeat to get him to shut up. The absolute last thing she needed was her boss's already oversized head to swell up even further due to his ego. The merciless teasing would never end if she actually admitted that she thought he was attractive… Or if she was practically head over heels for him.

"Yasu," Mai growled through her teeth, warning him that he better shut his trap if he wanted to live.

"Aww, Mai, don't tell me you're embarrassed! Really, to be absolutely awed by Naru's gorgeous physique is nothing to be ashamed of in the least!" He chuckled, glancing between the 'Big Boss' and his assistant. Cheeks darkening from pink to red, Mai quickly glanced at rather pleased Yasu and then to an unfazed Naru.

"Are we finished here?" Naru spoke coldly, almost more desperate to change the subject than his assistant, who was beginning to resemble a ripening strawberry more and more as each second passed. His sharp eyes landed on Yasu before shifting to Mai.

"Not until Mai gives us an answer!" chirped the researcher, adjusting his bulky, square-framed glasses. Mai groaned, picking at the skirt she had recently changed into. It was definitely unlike any of the others she typically wore because it was not only uncomfortably short for her, but it was also black. Mai could not recall owning an extremely short black skirt; but then again, she could have had one buried in the depths of her closet. She never really paid much attention to what she tossed in her suitcase before heading out on a case anyways.

Glancing at his assistant, Naru let a long breath out through his nose. She was trying to focus on something else; he could tell by the distant look in her cinnamon eyes. It was when her fingers began to scratch at the fabric of her skirt that Naru opened his mouth again. If she was messing with it, then she had to be thinking about it, and Naru really didn't want Mai to put too much thought into the origins of that black skirt, because that skirt had never once been a part of her wardrobe.

"I believe you have shamelessly embarrassed my employee enough. If you wish to participate as a member of my team on our next case, I suggest that you sit there without saying another word. If not, I think you are fairly acquainted with the door."

Holding his hands up in defeat, Yasu smiled nervously. "Alright then, Big Boss! No need to be so harsh! I'll close my lid!" He playfully drew two fingers over his lips, acting as if he were closing up a zipper.

After staring down the freshman college student for a couple of seconds, his eyes more deadly than the blade of a dagger, Naru dropped the case files onto the coffee table. "We will be traveling to Fujikawaguchiko. There's a private estate that has been experiencing exceptionally alarming activity. The current owner of the estate, Ritsuki Arakaki, has simply refused to live in the house due to his own experiences, and has put it on the market. Many real estate agents have documented their own, similar experiences while on the estate and also refuse to set foot in the house."

"And what is it exactly that's happening to these people?" Monk cut in, his head tilted to the side. Naru gestured to the file had had left on the table before continuing.

"They have all reported being assaulted physically. There are images in that file if you care to see for yourself."

Mai shivered. She had already gone through the case file, and several pictures of the women who had been showing the house made her feel sick. Deep, angry marks had been clawed into some of their backs while others appeared to have been bitten. Then, there was one young girl who had been pushed down the stairs and into the cellar.

"The most alarming of all reports, however, was the death of a sixteen year old girl, Nanami Sato." Everyone suddenly jumped for the folder on the table and wrestled for it as Naru stood up. Crossing his arms over his chest, he walked past a strangely still Mai and over to the window. "It appeared that she had been seeking a temporary shelter sometime during the night. The day prior to her death, it had been raining, and she had a nasty argument with her family."

"She was strangled," Mai piped up sadly, yet out of nowhere. She didn't recall reading that in the files, but somehow, she just knew it to be true. Ayako and Monk shot her a strange look, the case file clutched in both of their hands. Naru nodded his head, casually turning back around and leaning against the window.

"You're sure about that, Mai?" He raised an eyebrow as he made eye contact with her. The girl nodded, her hands still messing with the hem of her skirt.

"I'm positive. I just… know." She fidgeted as she bit her lip. Mai had a terrible feeling that she would soon learn more than she would care to know about Nanami's death, and firsthand at that.

"Yasuhara, before we leave tomorrow, I would like you to search for a police report on Nanami Sato's discovery, as well as her autopsy report if at all possible," Naru ordered, not even wasting a glance at college student.

"And what time will we be leaving tomorrow?" he asked, pushing his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose.

"10 A.M. and everyone," his gaze was still fixed on Mai, "better be on time."

* * *

Stumbling through the office with another cup of tea for Naru, Mai groaned tiredly. Just as she had predicted, her day had been as dull as ever since everyone else left. Earlier, when there had been nothing left for her to file since she had actually finished with filing before Naru even told her to call everyone, she had found a box of paperclips to occupy herself with. While she was stringing the metal clips together, Lin had walked in on her and shaken his head. Mai swore he sent an amused grin her way as he huffed to cover up a chuckle.

It was when she was decorating the edge of her desk with the makeshift chains that Naru decided to step out of his office. His snide comment about Christmas being six months away got Mai somewhat riled up, but she didn't completely blow up at him as if she were an overinflated balloon that had suddenly been poked with a sharp needle.

"Naru, tea," she chimed half-heartedly in a sleepy voice, knocking on his door.

"Come in," he replied in his typical emotionless voice.

As Mai entered his office, her eyes flickered towards Naru. He wasn't busy on his computer or sifting through mounds of papers. That stupid black journal of his wasn't even shielding his face either. Mai could only guess that she was in major trouble with her boss, or he needed to discuss something case related with her in hopes that he would somehow trigger her abilities.

After placing the teacup on his desk, Mai took a step back. She was about to leave, even without butting heads with Naru for a simple thank you. Mai believed she was just tired - at least, she wanted to believe that. But that dream she had was still bothering her. She knew Naru wanted to speak with her about something, yet she just wanted to leave. She didn't really feel like talking.

"Mai, where are you going? I don't believe I have dismissed you." His chilly voice stopped Mai dead in her tracks. Turning her head back, she frowned.

"You never dismiss me. We either get into a fight or you just ignore me," Mai sighed, wanting more than just about anything to go back out to her desk and take a short nap before going home.

"Yes, but I want to talk to you." Naru glanced at the only empty chair in the room, and then Mai again. "Take a seat."

Nodding her head, Mai uttered before sitting down, "Fine." As Naru took a sip of his tea, his assistant propped an elbow on the arm of the chair and rested her head against her palm. "So, what is it you want to talk about?"

"Your living arrangements."

Mai was taken aback for a second. Was there something wrong with her apartment? And if there was, since when did Naru care? And… It really wasn't any of his business when it came to how and where she lived. Just because Naru had a say in almost everything she did at the office didn't mean he could rule her life outside of it. "Umm… Why?"

Naru rolled his eyes. "Need I remind you how it was I found you this afternoon?"

Mai almost cringed visibly. He had already conveyed his frustration at her once she had stopped crying earlier that day, telling her that she was lucky he had come along and noticed her open door first.

"So? That's only happened once. It's not like I plan on making a habit of it." Mai sat herself straight up, defending herself before Naru even had the chance to attack.

"That may be, but I would also like to remind you that you don't live in the safest part of Shibuya. Anyone could have passed by and easily waltzed into your apartment. Someone could have stolen any one of your possessions; you could have been hurt, or heaven forbid, taken." Not once did he allow the slightest hint of emotion to leak into his voice as he held up his stoic act.

"Naru, it wasn't that big of a deal-"

"Mai, you were astral planing. You still don't have a handle on your abilities yet. What if you walk into your apartment and drop like a fly again? What if someone other than myself finds you in that condition?"

She went quiet. Naru had a point, and it was a good point too. But, how was this tying into her living arrangement? Even though Mai was paid well, very well for an assistant, she still had to put money away for college since she desired to go to school out of the country. That meant her rent had to be reasonable so she could still eat, therefore she wasn't going to rent a place in the nicest part of the city.

"I think it would be wise of you to have a roommate. It wouldn't hurt if one of us always kept an eye on you." He took another sip of his tea.

Mai almost laughed, "Roommate? You think I need a roommate?!" She shook her head, and then the second half of what Naru had said finally registered. "Wait a second… One of you guys keeping an eye on me?"

"That's right, Mai. I feel it would be best if you either live with Lin or myself." He watched as Mai's eyes went wide.

"Live with you or Lin?! Naru!" Mai's face was turning a light shade of pink. "That's crazy! I've been living alone since I was in middle school. I don't need one of you to babysit me!"

"Obviously you do." He was getting impatient.

"Like I've said, Naru, I've been living alone for several years now!"

"Yes, but your psychic abilities were dormant or very weak until you started working for me. You've made progress over the course of your employment here, but your abilities are growing much more quickly than your body can keep up with. Not only would staying with one of us guarantee your safety, but we can both help you learn to control and perfect your gifts."

Again she couldn't argue. Naru always had several valid points, but that didn't mean Mai was going to give in easily. "Okay, Naru. I see your point, but that doesn't mean I'm going to move in with anyone else. I like my privacy; I want to be independent."

"Mai, you can still have your privacy and independence. Lin and I both have spacious apartments. You could have one of the spare rooms and decorate it however you please." He offered as he placed his cup back on his desk, as if it were an added bonus.

"Look." Mai smiled as she sighed, "Naru, I really am flattered and grateful for your offer, but I'm going to have to decline." She made a motion to get up, but Naru raised a finger. He wasn't finished yet.

"It's not an offer, Mai. You will be moving in with one of us. The only choice you have in the matter is who you will be staying with." Rising up from his chair, Naru dug a hand into his pocket and produced two keys, one brass and one silver. "I had Lin go and make copies of our keys earlier." He stepped towards Mai with them both in an outstretched hand.

"Naru, I-"

"The brass one is the key to Lin's apartment, while the silver one is the key to mine." Cutting her off, he came even closer to Mai and grabbed her wrist. With her palm facing upwards, Naru dropped both keys into her hand.

"I really don't think-"

"Mai, starting tonight, you will be living with one of us and whether you want to or not. Once you can actually manage your own abilities then you will be permitted to live alone again." Naru shut Mai's fingers around the keys, only to have her push him away. Standing up, Mai shook her head and moved towards her employer's desk.

"No, Naru." She placed both keys on his desk and turned back around to face him. "You may have the right to order me around while I'm in this office, or off on a case, but you don't have the right to control my life outside of work like some all mighty dictator!" Her face was red, and she didn't even realize that she was shouting.

The darkly dressed teen allowed his lips to twitch up into an angry smirk. Mai was oblivious to the dangers of her power, and that was more than enough fuel to drive Naru's anger. She didn't understand how much using her own gifts affected her. At least Naru understood the risks of his own abilities, and he could handle them on his own - to an extent. Although, Lin wasn't currently in Japan because he loved the people - It was actually quite the other way around. Naru's parents had hired him a long time ago to keep an eye on his PK use.

"Mai, how do you think I feel about my parents sending Lin to constantly keep a close watch on me? I'm not terribly thrilled with the arrangement, but," his voice was low and held a venomous tone, "as much as I hate to admit it, I would be dead if Lin wasn't always around."

Mai remained quiet. She was speechless for a moment, but before she had the chance to say anything Naru was already speaking again.

"Look," he was holding onto her shoulders, gazing down into her eyes as he sighed, "I know it's not what you want, but we would all - as in the people you consider to be your family - prefer for you to be safe, no matter where you are." That and it would ease Naru's worries, but he never planned to mention it, ever.

"I don't need protection…" she muttered, grumpily staring down at the carpeted floor, "I'm capable of taking care of myself."

"Even if you convince yourself to actually believe that, Mai, you still need to learn how to properly use your abilities. If you happen to experiment with them, and the results turn out to be disastrous, there are only two people you know that can help you. And, if - excuse me - when there's a serious problem, I highly doubt you will be able to get in touch with anyone. You might as well be living with one of us so you get the help you need immediately."

Unfocused eyes uneasily jumping from place to place, Mai mumbled hotly as she finally gave in. "Alright, fine. If it will get you off my back. Just promise you'll let me help out when I can and pay for my share of the bills and rent."

They were both quiet, and once their eyes met again, Naru gave a gentle, teasing smile. "Mai, put your money away for college. It really would be unfortunate if you didn't give yourself a chance to claw your way out from the deep depths of dumb."

"I'm not dumb!" Mai's eyebrows flew up as she tore away from Naru's hold. "Just so you know, I passed all my classes last year with high marks! Even English!" she yelled proudly, her hands on her hips as she smirked. "You know what, Naru?! I bet I could get into Cambridge if I really wanted to! And maybe even study under Dr. Oliver Davis! I heard that he plans to teach his own classes in the near future," Mai added, confident in her own academic abilities. Naru had to actually stop himself from laughing. Study under the world renowned Oliver Davis? He doubted she could last an hour.

"You do realize that you would have to be proficient in the English language, and the last time I checked, you only received high marks in a basic level English class," Naru hummed knowingly, scooping the two keys up off his desk.

"Yes, but I plan to learn more. And, if I'm not mistaken, you know English pretty well. You could help me study on long trips or something." She beamed, balancing on the tips of her toes. "And, if we're going to start living together, that gives us plenty of extra time to work on it."

Holding out both keys to Mai again, Naru tilted his head. "So, I take it you would rather stay with me instead of Lin."

Cheeks going hot again, his assistant gave a semi-hesitant nod. "Lin and I really got off to a bad start, and even though I guess you could say we're friends now… I don't think I would be too comfortable around him… at least, not all the time."

"I see, " he said, placing the keys in Mai's hand for a second time. After they were clutched tightly in her hand, Naru returned to his chair and finished the last of his tea. "We will be leaving shortly."

Mai nodded, glancing at the door and then Naru again. "Uh… There are some things from my apartment I need to get. Do you think I could leave and-"

"Mai, you aren't going alone. I just need to gather a few files to take home, then we're leaving." Pausing, he looked down into his cup and almost groaned to see that it was empty. He wanted more, and even considered demanding that Mai brew another cup, but he decided against it. "I promise that we'll stop by your apartment." Holding the teacup out for her to take, Naru dismissed Mai from his office.

When the door shut behind his assistant with a soft click - praise the lord she didn't slam it - Naru held his head in his hand for a moment. Help the girl with English… Sure, that couldn't be too bad, at least he wouldn't be starting from square one. But… Studying with the most famous English parapsychologist alive.

Oh, if only Mai knew.

* * *

Throwing her suitcase down by the side of her new bed, Mai let out an exhausted yawn. As she flopped onto the unused sheets, the door she had closed only seconds ago cracked open. Stepping into the room, Naru sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Was his assistant really that tired already?

"Mai, are you going to sleep already? You still haven't eaten today."

The girl merely moaned in response, he hand groping for a pillow. "Food later. Sleep now."

No wonder she collapsed on the rug in her own living room.

Walking further into the room, he crossed his arms over his chest. It was only seven thirty, and Mai had only been awake for a little over six hours. He couldn't allow her to slip into unconsciousness, not yet. She had to start getting a grip on her powers whether she wanted to or not.

"Come on, Mai." He sat on the edge of the bed and nudged her shoulder. "Just keep yourself awake for another hour. You really need to eat. I can't have you getting ill before we leave tomorrow."

She barely registered anything Naru said. All Mai knew was that her world was getting blurry and she thought she could see bright yellow lights. Even as Mai was forced to sit up, she still felt herself drifting off, as if she were being pulled into a dream.

"Mai, you have to stay awake." Naru shook her gingerly, but she still didn't respond to him. Instead, her eyes rolled shut, and her entire body went lax. He continued to lightly rock her, hoping that she would wake. But, while he swayed her body from side-to-side, her breathing became shallow and her skin started to heat up.

Mai was on the astral plane; that was the only explanation for her sudden fever, as well as her drowsiness. Setting her back on the bed, Naru stood. Since she was astal planing, there was nothing he could do to draw Mai back into her body. He wasn't a spiritualist, just brilliantly skilled with PK - unfortunately, that skill was far from helpful in his situation.

Adjusting the sheets, so Mai was actually under them rather than on top of them, Naru tucked his new roomie in. She was already way more trouble than she was worth, and she had only been officially living with him for ten minutes.

Once Mai was tightly wrapped in the gray bedsheets, Naru quickly fled her new room and shut the door. He proceeded to the room across the hall, leaving the door ajar as he entered and sat in a chair that was very similar to the one he used while at work. The filles he had stuffed his briefcase full with before leaving the office were scattered about his desk. At least, to the untrained eye they looked like files that might be somewhat important to Naru's next investigation, but none of the many pieces of paper had anything to do with it. Pen in hand, the dark-headed teen began to read through the paper his father had faxed him all the way from England - London, to be precise.

Just like himself, Naru's father was also interested in paranormal phenomena, and even researched it. Whenever his own theses were completed, he would send them to his son before publishing them. Naru was perhaps even more competent in parapsychology than the man who helped raise him, and among many other members of the parapsychic community, his opinions as well as his own developing theories were highly valued. He was very well respected, too, for his success in his own studies as well as his manipulation of his psychokinesis.

Scribbling a side note in the margin of his father's most recent thesis, Naru reached to his right for a pair of glasses. He was starting to get a dull headache as he read. Normally, he would have stubbornly ignored it and refused to wear his glasses. Whenever he was in the office or out in the field, he never used them or carried them around, even if they would take the strain off his eyes when he read. Naru only permitted himself to wear them in the privacy of his own study. Long ago, when he first began to wear reading glasses, someone who was rather close to him used to tease him about it, calling him all sorts of childish names. Said person's favorite name for a younger Naru was idiot scientist of all things. Four eyes was a close second though.

Sweeping his bangs to one side, Naru slipped his semi-circle shaped glasses over his cobalt eyes and began reading through his father's papers again. As he skimmed from paragraph to paragraph, a prideful smirk wound itself on his lips. His father had used some of Naru's own research as a source to back up several of his claims, and even mentioned him by name. Of course, Naru couldn't help but comment on how he completely agreed with his own work. His ego wouldn't allow him to ignore it.

After marking up several more pages with his own, neat script, Naru set his pen down and gathered all the papers he had read through. Sliding them into an empty folder, he stood up from his chair and stretched his legs briefly before seating himself again. Naru then placed the folder on an unoccupied space at the corner of his desk.

Glancing out the door, he nodded to himself. The door to Mai's room was still shut. It was safe to assume that she still hadn't woken. As Naru began to tend to another set of papers, he started to wonder about several things. Since Mai was going to be staying with him, he would have to establish boundaries obviously. Of course, his own bedroom would be off limits, but so would his study. He didn't want her snooping through his filing cabinets or anything he might leave on his desk, even if most everything printed on paper was in English. The last thing Naru need was Mai to recognize a name, or even possibly a phrase, and investigate. But… He wasn't sure how he was going to keep her nose out of his study. To his inconvenience, the door didn't have a lock.

Maybe he could get Lin to install a lock on the door later. It would be the easiest thing to do, and if he kept the key with him constantly there was no way Mai could get into anything… As far as he knew anyway. Unless she were to develop the ability to poltergeist, which Naru highly doubted was possible, he would have nothing to worry about.

Returning his full attention to another thesis his father had sent, Naru raised a brow. After reading the first few sentences he knew that this particular thesis didn't belong to his father at all. Everything from the use of syntax to diction was different. Narrowing his eyes, Naru quickly wrote a short, bitter note at the top of the page addressed to his father. It wasn't Naru's job to comment and/or grade papers written by students enrolled in his father's classes at Cambridge, nor did he have interest in any of them.

Banishing the amaturely written thesis into the same folder he had sat on the corner of his desk, the teen sighed. Quickly, he flipped through the remaining papers he had brought home with him, only to discover that they all were written by students, not his father. Tossing them all into the waste bin, he shook his head. It was rather pitiful of his father to pull a stunt like that.

Just as Naru stood up to retrieve his black bound journal, he thought he heard a voice call out his name. Snapping his gaze to the door across the hall, only to find it just as he had left it, Naru tilted his head. He waited for a few seconds before he turned to his bookshelf, but the moment his eyes left the door Naru heard Mai scream.

Not wasting even a millisecond, Naru raced to the room across the hall. Barging in, he found his assistant curled up into a small ball, her sheets hanging of the edge of the bed.

"Mai!" Naru rushed to her side and carefully pulled her hands away from her wet face. She tilted her head up and trained her doe-like eyes on his. Something about Naru looked different. His nose seemed a bit longer and his eyes looked as if they were far away. Mai felt as if she was looking at him through a window framed with a simple gold lining. Then, it dawned on her that he was wearing glasses.

"You okay?" he asked as she continued to gaze dumbly into his face. Nodding her head, Mai glanced down at her wrists to see that they were still caught in Naru's hands. Almost the second she had shifted her view, his hands were gone from hers and by his side.

"It was just…" Mai glanced up towards his eyes again and totally lost her train of thought. Naru looked good with glasses, really good actually. Sexy even… She couldn't stop herself from thinking it. The sparkle in his eyes seemed to magnify in the transparent lenses, adding to his subtle charm.

"What was it?" He crouched down so their eyes were level with one another. The girl before him only blushed maddeningly as if he were about to lean in and- "Mai."

"Oh!" she gasped, snapping back into it before going on in a quiet voice, "I.. Well… It was that dream."

Naru's eyes widened briefly behind the lenses before softening. Resting a hand on Mai's shoulder, he urged her to scoot forward, closer to him.

"And… this time," she hesitantly began again, her eyes watering, "I wasn't the victim; I was watching him." Mai grabbed onto Naru's arms and pulled him into a teary hug. "It was you."

* * *

**Omake:**

**As Naru took a sip of his tea, his assistant propped an elbow on the arm of the chair and rested her head against her palm. "So, what is it you want to talk about?"**

**"Your living arrangements."**

**Mai was taken aback for a second. Was there something wrong with her apartment? And if there was, since when did Naru care? "Umm… Why?"**

**"You see," he began, a remorseful tone detectable in his voice, "I really hate to do this to you, but Ms. Hara is in need of temporary lodgings."**

**"For how long?" Mai twitched, attempting to speak calmly though her teeth. The thought of spending just a few days with the stuck-up snob of a medium making her tremble.**

**"Six months." He shut his eyes as he prepared for the fireworks that he knew were about to fly up into the sky and explode with an ear busting boom.**

**"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" The door to his office slammed shut with a bang as his assistant shrieked, colorful words shooting from her mouth once the do had actually shut. Naru cringed. He hadn't expected such a variety of sparkling colors in those fireworks.**

**So, I hope you all liked this chapter! It was kinda fun to write, but I did feel pretty dumb at times. Like, I can't help but think that Naru would look so freaking sexy with glasses. I just can't help it!**

**Anyway, please leave all your thoughts and comments in the review section.**

**Thanks to LEva114 for editing.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Sorry about the long wait this time. I've had a lot on my plate recently. Auditions for school, concerts, getting sick, school work, dates. Lol What can I say? Anyway, I'm not to sure what to think of this one. There are a few moments I really like... But there are also some I'm just kinda... bla about. I feel like its more of a filler, but there are some important things that happen! Anyway, the next chapter is in the works, and so far, I think it's much more interesting. **

Fingertips tracing the edges of her teacup, Mai gazed out at nothing in particular. She was trying her best to take Naru's advice, to cast away her terrifying dream. It just had to be a nightmare, that was it! A simple concoction of her imagination!

Oh wait… That couldn't be right. Naru had let it slip that she was astral planing after she had woken from her first dream. But then, that only meant her dream didn't make sense. If Mai recalled correctly, she only witnessed events of the past and on occasion those of the present. Never had she predicted or seen the future. She was typically left to decipher what her visions meant for future use.

Groaning, Mai dropped her head onto the table and pushed her teacup away. The more she tried to forget, the harder it was was getting. After all, it wasn't any random stranger she had seen. It was Naru, her boss… The narcissistic man she had grown a deep attachment to. Mai couldn't even begin to think what she'd do if she lost him; he was the glue holding her whole world together.

"You should eat something." There was a warm hand on her shoulder, gently nudging her. Picking her head up, Mai met that pair of stunning blue eyes. They were still shielded by a wall of thin glass, adding to their beauty and sense of mystery.

"I'm not really hungry…" Mai whispered out, a weak smile working on her lips. Naru didn't know if she could hear the low growling that sounded from her own stomach, but he sure could. Flashing her a disapproving look, he seated himself in the chair next to hers. They gazed at one another for a long, quiet moment. Analyzing her pale features, Naru raised a brow, as if to challenge Mai's last statement. The girl hadn't eaten in a day, that he was sure of. She had to be at least somewhat famished.

"I'm ordering out," he said bluntly, acting as if he hadn't heard her deny the fact that she was, indeed, starving.

"I'm fine," she claimed, "I don't need anything."

"I wasn't implying that I was going to order anything for you," Naru deadpanned, pushing himself, as well as the chair he was sitting in, a few inches away from his doe-eyed assistant. Mouth slightly agape, Mai stared at Naru as if she were a deer in the headlights. Had he not just suggested that it would be best if she ate?

"Jerk..." she muttered, turning her nose up in the air.

"Excuse me, but I believe you clearly stated that you did not have an appetite. I, on the other hand, do. Therefore, I merely stated that I'm going to order out."

Mai glanced back at him for a moment. His logic was sound, it always was, but that still didn't mean she wasn't offended. He could have at least tried to act somewhat nice about it, instead of being so cold.

"You could have been nicer about it, you know! Why not say something like: "Oh, alright. I hope you don't mind if I get something for myself then." Don't you have any manners? Or is there a stick shoved too far up your ass?"

Naru almost cracked a smile. She must have been feeling better. Why else would she attempt to imitate - it was a rather poor imitation, if he had to say - him and then try to tell him off for being a narcissist? She would bounce back soon, he knew it, and then maybe he could convince her to at least feed herself before turning in for the night. God only knew how awful it would be to travel over an hour with Mai if she was constantly complaining about how she was so hungry.

"Of course I have manners, Mai, but why should I bother wasting them on someone as immature and childish as you?"

Her face went bright red, and she was up on her feet. How dare Naru call her an immature child! How dare he say she wasn't someone worth wasting manners on!

"Ugh! I am not immature and childish, you jerk!" Mai cried, her hands on her hips. Sticking her tongue out at him, the brunette lowered her face so it was level with Naru's. The boy leaned back slightly, amused by Mai's reaction. He always found satisfaction in teasing Mai; it was a simple pleasure, really. That, and it was oh so easy. Naru knew exactly which strings to pull with the girl and he could play her like a harp.

"Then why, pray tell, is your tongue hanging out of your mouth? Are you determined to imitate a dog next?" He cocked his raised brow while crossing his arms over his chest smugly, seemingly content with his statement. Yet, the more he thought about, the more Naru wouldn't have minded mirroring Mai. Of course, he would just lean closer into her and actually tasted the skin of her cheek - her lips even, if he decided to be a little more daring.

Blinking, Naru resisted the urge to shake his head. He had no reason to be thinking like that; it was completely improper on his part. Mai worked for him, that was it - period.

Mai fumed after her tongue hastily retreated back into her mouth and her jaw snapped closed. Taking a step back, she narrowed her gaze and growled lowly. She had no retort, which irritated her to no end. How was it that Naru could always come up with a decent comeback on the fly? Last time Mai checked he wasn't particularly functional socially. He tended to sulk in his office with his nose buried in a book, and only ever really interacted with another physical being if it was job related. Or because he wanted his precious tea.

And speaking of tea... Naru almost always requested it after their little spats... So, why wasn't he waving her off to the kitchen or ordering her to go and prepare a cup?

Waiting, Mai glanced from her abandoned teacup to Naru. His eyes were still on her, watching her as if he planned to pounce on her like a cat would a mouse. The silent air that had settled around both youths remained undisturbed. Why wasn't he demanding tea? Why was he just staring at her? It was strange, unusual! Did Mai somehow do something wrong, or was Naru possesed? She didn't understand.

"Uh... I'll make tea...?" she stuttered, stepping back hesitantly.

"Did you find mine to really be that distasteful?"

Mai froze in place, eyes wandering back to her lukewarm cup. Even though she had only taken just one tiny sip of Naru's tea, she could safely determine that it wasn't as tasty as her own, but it wasn't bad either. She had just been making tea much longer than him, it was to be expected and-

That really wasn't the point. Mai had nothing against Naru's tea. She was just confused since he hadn't rudely asked for a cup of her own.

"Ah, n-no, no! That isn't the case at all!" she sputtered, waving her hands in front of her. "It's just that you usually tell me to make tea after we have a spat or something..." She gave a half smile as a bead of sweat slowly rolled down the side of her face.

Shrugging, Naru gave an aloof smirk and nodded. "True, but neither of us are currently on the job. I pay you to make tea at the office, not here."

Alright... So Naru really was actually using manners.

As Mai went to sit back down, her boss's eyes linked with hers, he added, "But, now that I think about it, I wouldn't mind if you made tea, since you are after all, offering."

Rolling her eyes, Mai glanced from Naru to the warm kettle still sitting on the stove. "Alright..." she sighed, brushing her bangs back behind her ear, "but, you're going to have to show me where you keep everything."

"Really, Mai, do you need my help navigating a kitchen?" he teased, standing up from his chair.

"Well… no… It's just that… Augh… Forget it." Mai threw her hands up as she stomped over to the kettle. Meanwhile, Naru slid his hand into his pocket and retrieved his mobile. Flipping it open, he quickly scrolled through his contacts.

"I take it you can figure it out."

"Yeah…" she mumbled, standing up on her toes, reaching to open the cabinet above her head.

"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to make a call." Naru shuffled out of the kitchen and into the living room. Mai turned her head back and caught a glimpse of him as he swept into the other room, murmuring softly into the phone.

Hands groping the sides of a teacup, Mai curled a finger around its handle. Lowering herself so that her feet were flat, she pulled the cup from its perch in the cabinet and set it down on the counter.

Remembering that she had left another cup on the table, Mai scurried over and grabbed it. While trekking it over to the sink, she carefully studied it. It wasn't made out of plain, white porcelain like the ones they used back at the office, nor was it decorated with a traditional Japanese pattern. It felt more like clay, but not quite, and it looked as if it had been dipped in baby blue paint - definitely not Naru's style. Upon further inspection, Mai noticed the snow white figures decorating the outside wall of the cup. No doubt, it was some European style. Wedgwood, maybe. That kinda sounded right. But, then again, that might not be right. Wedgwood was really expensive, like ¥160,000 per cup or more.

After placing the teacup in the sink, Mai turned the stove on and situated the kettle on the burner. Searching through a few more cabinets, she only managed to find two boxes of Earl Grey tea bags. No wonder Naru's tea wasn't all that great. Sighing, Mai opened one of the boxes as she made herself a mental note to buy some loose tea and as well as a small strainer.

Once the tea had been brewed and two cups had been filled up to their rims, Mai poked her head out into the living room to find Naru sitting on the sofa, his phone on the coffee table.

"Hey Naru," she started, waiting for him to look over at her, "tea's ready."

"Bring it in. We might as well move in here for the rest of the evening."

Nodding mindlessly, Mai slipped back in the kitchen and returned seconds later with both cups of tea. Carefully, she set them down on the glass table before settling herself next to Naru. Curling up into the corner of the black, leather sofa, feet tucked under her bum, Mai stretched an arm out for her tea.

"So…" Mai hummed casually, her eyes darting over towards Naru's. He gazed back at her with a blank expression, offering no response.

Bringing her teacup up to her lips, Mai smiled as her thoughts somehow managed to find their way out of her mouth without her consent, "These are really nice cups."

"Yes… They were also very expensive. Please try and refrain from breaking them." He sipped at his tea. Mai frowned, scowling at her boss.

"If they're so expensive, why do you use them on a regular basis? That doesn't seem practical."

"I agree, it isn't," Naru sighed, gazing into his tea, "but Mother insisted I take them."

"Oh! So, these are your mother's?" Mai beamed, shifting slightly closer to Naru.

"Yes." He rolled his eyes; had Mai not heard him clearly? Though, he wasn't about to tell her exactly how his mother came across them. "I doubt she would be pleased if any of them were to end up broken. Just be careful. We don't need a repeat of last week."

Face puffing up, Mai huffed, "That wasn't my fault! How was I supposed to know you were about to open the door! Of course I was going to fall when I go to lean against it and there's nothing there!"

"Maybe you should have been paying attention."

"Well, you know what? It served you right! You were the one who got covered head to toe in tea!"

Naru sneared. The only good that came out of that situation was when Mai accidentally flashed him… but she didn't know about that. It was best if she remained blissfully unaware of that particular fact.

"And you were the idiot who succeeded in cutting her hand while picking up shards of that shattered cup."

Mai gave a nervous laugh at that. Naru was a terrible nurse while tea-stained and angry. She almost wished they hadn't had a first aid kit laying around. Someone would have just called Ayako - she was always gentle and patient with Mai, unlike a certain narcissist….

Just as Mai was about to place her teacup back on the coffee table, there was a knock at the door. She jerked, about to jump up and get it before Naru placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll get it." Naru set his tea down next to Mai's as he got up. Sauntering across the room like a graceful black cat, he dipped his hand into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. As her employer opened the door, Mai placed her hand on her stomach. The smell that wafted through the front door made her mouth water and realize that maybe, she was just a tad bit hungry.

As her stomach growled and cramped, she moaned softly. Mai was beginning to wish she had taken up Naru's offer for something to eat earlier. It looked like she would have to wait until morning, and knowing Naru, he would want to get to the office early and start packing up the van. So, in other words, a quick, unsatisfying breakfast for sure. Shutting her eyes, Mai groaned miserably. She did it to herself, and she knew it.

When a warm box landed on the cushion and bumped against her knee, Mai's eyes shot back open. Next to her, Naru sat down with his own box in hand.

"I hope you don't mind shirayaki-don." Naru handed her a pair of chopsticks. A grateful smile working up on her lips, Mai took them. Their knuckles bumped, and Mai's cheeks dusted over with pink.

"Thank you, Naru."

* * *

The hour and a half drive to Fujikawaguchiko passed by quickly for Mai. The van hadn't been dead silent for once. To Lin's disappointment, though, he had been forced to listen to Mai speak - butcher - the English language. Apparently Naru had taken it upon himself to help her learn it. Why? Lin couldn't be too sure, but he had a feeling that it had something to do with Mai's future travel plans, whether she - or even Naru - was aware of them or not.

"Alright, try it again. And this time, focus on your pronunciation. It's still… rough, to put it nicely." Naru held his head with his fingertips. He was beginning to wonder how anyone could pass any English class and not be able to at least pronounce England's capital correctly.

"**_Lurah-Lur-ah-don is a-ahh see-ty in-_**"

"**_London._**" Naru corrected. "Try again."

"**_Luoorn-dahn-_**"

"Why don't we try something a bit more simple?" He sighed as he began to feel a slight pounding at the base of his skull. "First, I want you to give me an educated guess as to what it is you believe I am saying."

"Okay!" Mai nodded as she devoted every ounce of attention she had on Naru; a smile stretched across her face.

"**_Currently, I hunt ghosts for a living._**" Naru spoke clearly, his accent perfect - he sounded just like those men in British shows, in fact. If Naru hadn't been living in Japan, Mai would have easily mistaken him for an Englishman. But, he was Naru, and these was very little Naru didn't do well.

Fingers rubbing over her chin, Mai bit her bottom lip. "Uh… Something about yourself and ghosts?" That was all she could really pick up. Naru's face remained void of any expression as Mai looked to him.

"Uh… Ghost hunting?" Mai thought aloud before she gasped. It all clicked. She knew exactly what he said! "Your job is to hunt ghosts!"

"Well," he shook Naru shook his head, "you have the general idea, but that isn't exactly what I said, **_idiot_**."

She knew that word all too well… Naru used to mutter it under his breath all the time after about the gazillionth time she had chewed him out for calling her dumb. For a while, she didn't know that he was calling her a baka in English. It wasn't until Madoka had snapped at him one day that she realized it. "Well, excuse me! At least I knew what you were talking about! Sorry all of us aren't just masters at English!" Mai ranted, shaking an angry fist over her head.

Rolling his eyes, Naru spoke again, "Do you want my help, or not?"

Going silent, her closed fist calmly working down into her lap peacefully, Mai nodded as she sighed, "Yes..."

"Fine, then repeat after me." He paused before smirking, almost as if he were amused, "and try not to completely slaughter the entire phrase." The brunette's scowl directed at him, Naru clearly articulated the same words he had spoken before, "**_Currently, I hunt ghosts for a living._**"

Slowly, carefully, Mai attempted to repeat, "**_Cah-curr-ant-eee, I huh-hunt go-go-ghosts fah-or ah lah-lah-lurr-_**"

"We're here," Lin coughed, wishing that statement had been true an hour ago. He didn't know how much more torture his ears could take before he seriously considered stapling them shut. Oh, the days Lin desperately wished he didn't know any English at all.

* * *

Lugging the last heavy monitor into their base, Mai gave an exhausted huffed. As she crossed the threshold into SPR's temporary HQ, the seventy pound weight in her arms suddenly vanished. Casting a glance to the floor, afraid that she actually dropped Naru's equipment, Mai gasped. She snapped her head up when she didn't see a mess of shattered glass at her feet. Standing an arms length away was a darkly clad Naru.

"I'll handle this," he said in a dull tone. Mai gave a quick nod before her boss turned away.

"Do you want me to go and make tea then?"

"No." It was a flat, cold response and it took his assistant by surprise. "I don't want you wandering off by yourself. I think it would be rather tragic if you were to have an accident prior to the start of our investigation, do you not agree?"

Huffing, her face glowing red, Mai crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh come on! Nothing's going to happen! It's not like a have a note taped to my back that says please attack me, I'm vulnerable!"

"No, but I think someone might have stamped that exact phrase on your forehead, seeing as trouble always manages to find you... Unless, of course, it happens to ironically be the other way around," he remarked with a quizzical tone.

"Why you-"Fist raised above her head, Mai stormed in Naru's direction, but not three steps away from her original position, she was yanked back by the collar of her shirt.

"Take it easy, Jou-chan," the monk chuckled lightly, concealing his own sense of worry for the girl. "Naru's just pushing your buttons. Plus, he really is concerned for your safety. You always seem to be the one getting into trouble."

Mai scowled as she dropped her arms back down to her sides. "Why doesn't he just come out and say it then?" she asked rhetorically, rolling her eyes before raising her voice so Naru could hear her clearly. "Oh yeah! It's because he's just too damn proud to admit it!"

Placing the monitor on the shelves he had constructed previously, Naru glanced back over his shoulder. When his eyes landed on Mai's, his expression hardened. Mai stuck her tongue out at him before spinning around and grabbing ahold of Monk's arm.

"Come on Bou-san! Let's go look around!" Just as she was about to drag the light haired mork out of the room, Naru spun around on his heel and reached for her.

"Mai, you are to stay here until all the equipment has been set up. Am I understood?" He latched onto her wrist and pulled her back. Yelping, Mai released the sleeve of Monk's shirt and toppled into Naru.

"Why?! Nothing's going to happen!" She threw her head back and gazed up into his face with narrowed eyes.

"Mai, people, more specifically young women, have been seriously injured. The absolute last thing we need is for something to happen, even if the odds are slim. I would honestly prefer not to send someone to the hospital this time." Naru said as he dragged her over towards the computers that had yet to be properly set up.

"Can't I just walk around with Bou-san? He can ward off spirits if necessary! You know I would be fine with him!" Mai argued, attempting to yank her arm back.

"You're staying here Mai, and that's final."

"Naru, I-"

"Mai, I kinda agree with Naru on this one," Monk mumbled, barely loud enough for anyone to hear.

"But Monk-"

"Jou-chan, I really feel it's best for right now. This place is already giving me the creeps, and a girl who looked a lot like you was killed a little over a month ago here."

Pouting, Mai opened her mouth, but before she could Naru jumped in. "Thank you, Takigawa." He paused, his hold on the semi-struggling girl loosening slightly. "I feel that your thoughts and concerns are much more persuasive than my own."

Dumbstruck, Mai froze in place. What Naru said wasn't true at all... She valued his opinions highly, and they did make a difference, but... She just didn't want to be useless. She wasn't like the others, really. Mai couldn't exorcise spirits or set up a force field. Heck, she could barely defend herself. The nine cuts, as well as the warding chant Bou-san had taught her, were all she had, and yet- Wait... Barely defend herself...

Mai glanced up into Naru's eyes after her sudden epiphany. He was always having to waste time to save her... Mai just created more work for him when she wandered off. She couldn't protect herself, and he knew it... Mai really was a danger magnet...

"Naru... I... I'm sorry..." she whispered, her gaze dropping to the floor rapidly, "I just hate being so useless..."

The darkly dressed boy - his expression blank as a clear slate - sat Mai down in a nearby chair. He wanted then, at that very moment, to kneel down before her and tell her just how wrong she was; Mai wasn't useless, but his pride just wouldn't let him. Mai was all too correct in the sense that his pride stood in the way of many things.

"Then why don't you just do as I tell you? I am very well aware of your strengths as well as your weaknesses, therefore I can appropriately assign you a suitable job. Alright?" He was holding her wrists, waiting for her to look back up into his face. When Mai did turn her chin up to reveal her watering eyes, she gave a tiny smile.

"Alright," she managed to say in a shaky voice. "What can I do then?"

* * *

Grumbling to herself, Mai flopped onto her side and dug her head further into the pillow her boss had tossed at her before he began setting up all the monitors. The idea that she had to force herself to sleep in the middle of the day was infuriating! Well, at least try to... The second she had begun complaining to Naru about how she wasn't tired, he had threatened to cut her pay.

That had to be a first for anyone: sleep on the job!

Well, coming from Naru at least.

Mai groaned as she shifted again. She just couldn't manage to find a comfortable position. Who could on a such stone hard couch? And right smack in the middle of base of all places. Sure, it was quiet, except for Lin's fingers banging on his laptop's keyboard, but still... Why not send her off to wherever she was going to sleep for the night?

Oh yeah... Naru said he didn't want to take any risks. Apparently, Mai was to be on watch 24/7 by either Lin, Naru, or both at once. It was rather annoying, really. Mai didn't want to be a burden to anyone. She should have been the only one to worry about her safety.

"Still awake, I see."

Falling off the edge of the sofa and into the floor, Mai shrieked. Eyes searching frantically for the owner of the voice that had scared the living daylights out of her, she bolted upright.

"Naru! Don't scare me like that!"

He raised a dark brow, arm crossed over his chest as per usual. Stepping closer to Mai, Naru sighed, "If you weren't such an idiot, I doubt my presence would have frightened you."

With a 'humph,' Mai snapped her head to the side and mumbled about how much of an arrogant jerk her employer was. Call her stupid? Geeze... Did he just get some kind of sick joy from mercilessly insulting her?

Just as Mai was about to get to her feet, the arrogant, tea-addicted jerk offered her a hand, "Come on, get up before you manage to injure yourself."

"I'm already on the floor... It's not like I can do much damage to myself down here." Mai huffed, taking Naru's hand as her face flushed a light shade of pink.

Pulling her up onto her feet, he muttered icily, "I'm positive you could find a way."

"You know what?! I'm not as clumsy as-" Mai stopped mid sentence, as if someone had flicked a switch inside her. She felt as if something sharp had suddenly been jabbed right through her body, right through her heart. Something didn't feel right to her… There was an odd feeling building in the pit of her stomach. "Naru..." she whispered, tossing her head over her shoulder, "Something's wrong."

"What is it?"

"I don't know..." She clutched the fabric of his shirt tighter. "I just feel like something's about to happen..." And just like that, the brunette dropped like a fly, her cloudy eyes falling shut. Letting out a shout, Naru wrapped an arm around Mai's back before she could fall back to the floor.

Glancing from her still face to his other assistant. Lin returned the stoic expression Naru offered him before tearing his gray eyes away from the two teenagers. "I'll request that Takigawa and Masuzaki return to base at once," he paused briefly, "I will also call Osamu as well and see what research he's managed to gather."

Naru didn't even bother to answer as he lifted Mai in his arms and sat down on the sofa behind him. Lin was prepared to do what he would have asked of him anyway, why bother to say anything more? Gently, Naru shifted Mai's still body as if she were made of glass and stretched her across the couch. Then, he placed her head in his lap and gingerly combed through her light cocoa bangs with the tips of his fingers.

As he twirled the soft threads around his finger, Naru heard footsteps approaching from behind. Quickly, he shot his head back, but then relaxed. It was only Lin.

"Here." The Chinese man draped a blanket over Mai. Naru's hand never moved, even as Lin caught a look. "You should rest as well, Naru. There isn't much you can do until either Mai wakes, or Osamu gets here." Lin held out another blanket for Naru to take.

Without even a 'thank you,' Naru snatched the blanket from Lin's hand. "Tell Masuzaki and Takigawa just to stay together for now. Don't bother telling them to return here." Had Naru really changed his mind?

"Do you still wish for me to call Osamu?"

"Yes. And I expect to be woken before he walks through that door."

So he just didn't want anyone to know that he really did sleep! Or... Maybe he didn't want anyone to see him asleep with Mai so close. Either way, he was defending his image.

Lips turning up into a smirk, Lin nodded, attempting not to chuckle, "Alright, Naru."

* * *

_"I just feel like something's about to happen..." Mai's hold on Naru's shirt tightened as she whipped her head back around. A hand pressed against the small of her back, pushing her closer to her boss._

_"Mai..." he spoke, giving her a sad smile. She looked up at his flawless, pale face. It was then Mai realized something was different about him. His skin was a shade lighter than she recalled it being seconds ago, and he seemed to almost glow. "I'm truly sorry, but there's something you need to see."_

_Naru never apologized for anything in advance, and he was almost never sincere. Mai had to be dreaming... This had to be the Naru of her dreams._

_"Naru, when did I- I don't remember..."_

_He only continued to smile - almost mischievously - as she trailed off. As her hold on him went slack, his entire for slowly faded away into the darkness that Mai recognized as astral plain. Before the 'dream Naru' did vanish, however, he did speak again._

_"Be sure to tell that idiot scientist about everything you see."_

_Who was the idiot scientist? Mai had heard that once before, and from this Naru look-a-like as well. Was he perhaps referring to himself? … No… It couldn't be that. Not even in her dreams would Naru call himself an idiot. Scientist definitely, but never idiot._

_The misty black surrounding Mai morphed into a brand new scene. A fuzzy screen seemed to separate her from it though, and just like most all her dreams, Mai was forced to only witness._

_It was a kitchen, the backdrop for the tragic production that was soon to begin. Mai eyed the white tiles that stretched along the room, wondering if they were about to be stained with crimson red, just like those in the Urado case._

_As her gaze moved from the floor to the counter, Mai saw two figures conversing. One man, and one woman. She couldn't hear them, but from what she could tell, they seemed to be shouting at one another. When the petite woman went to take a step back, the larger man grabbed onto her and threw her back._

_As the woman stumbled back, she held her head in her hands and gripped her shoulder length hair. A kettle whistled, and suddenly, Mai could clearly hear everything._

_"You can't do this to me! I've wasted ten years of my life with you and done every single thing you've asked of me! And this… This is the thanks I get for everything I've done for you?" She looked up at him, her lips pulled back while she snarled._

_"I can do as I damn well please, you whore." The whistling of the kettle grew louder as the man's voice rose._

_"Me? You honestly think you have the right to say that to me?! You're the one screwing around with other women!"_

_The man raised his hand to strike his wife, but before he could, another idea came to mind. His hand flying to the white hot kettle, the man gave an angry smirk. Then, without warning, he smashed the heated metal into the woman's face._

_With a pained scream, the woman fell to her knees, her hands cupping the freshly burnt skin of her cheek. Mai held her breath as the woman glanced back up at her husband, spitting curses at him. Seconds later, scalding water was dumped on the woman. As she cried out, Mai looked away and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to see anymore… She just wanted to wake up._

_Sinking to the ground, Mai tucked her head into her knees and covered her ears. It all had to stop soon… She had to wake up soon. Mai couldn't handle it, listening to the woman's frantic yells and sobs of complete anguish._

_"Hey… you alright?" It was a new voice, one that did not match with what Mai had just seen. No, this was the voice of a child, a little boy._

_Against her will, Mai glanced up, only to find the the kitchen she had been looking in on was gone, and had been replaced by a messy room crowded with small children and gently used toys._

_As a face came into view, Mai quickly responded with words that did not belong to her, "I'm fine."_

_The face staring directly into her seemed all too familiar, but it seemed rounder then she recalled. Messy, jet black hair cradled that puffy, pale face. As cobalt blue eyes met hers as soft lips wound into an unsure smile._

_"Noll, you know you can tell me what's bothering you."_

_"It's nothing… Don't worry about it." Mai would have dropped her jaw in total shock had she not been experiencing her current vision via first person. The boy speaking with her was no other than Naru, and judging by the baby fat lingering in his cheeks, he was no more than six or seven years old._

_"Don't worry about it? Noll, you just had one of those weird dreams! You can't hide that from me." It looked like Naru had dealt with someone like her before… No wonder he knew more about her powers than she did._

_"It's not important. I just saw something from one of the other kid's past." Mai stood up and turned away from the young Naru._

_"And it bothered you," he added, an almost sharp, biting tone detectable in his voice._

_Crossing her arms over her chest, Mai heard herself respond, "I think I'm going to go and finish reading that book I started."_

_"Noll-"_

_"**Hey! Asian kid! Is this yours?!**" jeered one of the other children, and in English, at least… from what Mai could tell. From his stubby hand hung an emerald green book cover, and nothing else. It was clear that all the pages that were once bound in between the green covers had been carelessly torn out._

_Narrowing her eyes, Mai hissed, "**Perhaps…. And I suppose you're the ignorant fool who ripped it to shreds?**"_

_Mai wasn't quite sure what she had said… Her English was still rather weak._

_"**You're calling me a fool?**" He tossed the ruined novel to the side and stopped right up to Mai. Chubby cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk's, he shot his arms out and pushed Mai to the ground. "**You're stupid. You only like to look smart, but really, you're just a big ol' idiot.**"_

_**Idiot**… a baka… Mai felt something dangerous building up inside of her. It was like all her feeling and emotions were merging together into one big mass. She felt an odd tingling sensation in her hands, and could have sworn they sparked like stripped wires._

_Then, as she growled through her teeth, the lights above her head flickered before shattering. Toys and chairs began floating in mid air, and then they were zooming uncontrollably around the room. All of the children screamed and scrambled for the door, all but one._

_When a warm hand rested on her shoulder, she felt herself relax, and the energy coursing through her veins dwindled away into oblivion._

_"Calm down Noll... it's going to be alright." It was Naru. "I promise." He wrapped both arms around Mai and hugged her tightly before nuzzling the top of his head against her cheek._

_As her vision became clouded, Mai felt the strings of reality yanking her back into her body, and as she began to fade from the astral plane, she began to wonder something. She began to wonder how Naru had grown to be the exact opposite of the little boy clinging to her body. Did something happen to him to cause such a bizarre change in his personality?_

_Before Mai had time to think on the subject any further, everything was pitch black. Moments later her eyes flung open, and the sound of Lin's fingers pecking the keys on in laptop was all she could hear._

**Omake:**

**"Then why don't you just do as I tell you? I am very well aware of your strengths as well as your weaknesses, therefore I can appropriately assign you a suitable job." He was holding her wrists, waiting for her to look back up into his face. When Mai did turn her chin up to reveal her large brown eyes, Naru smirked.**

**"Alright," she purred, irises flickering with a daring shimmer, "what can I do for you then?"**

**Leaning closer to her, his lips brushing against her ear, Naru spoke in a gruff voice, "Well, I would be lying if I said there wasn't a problem I need you to take care of."**

**"Oh?" she cocked a brow, "And this "problem" you speak of would be...?"**

**Someone coughed, interrupting the duo sitting across from the computers and cameras they had recently lugged in from the van. Eyes quickly snapping to the source of the sound, Naru composed himself quickly. In a professional manner, he strode towards the only other man occupying the room.**

**"What's this "problem" my little Jou-chan needs to help you with?" Monk's knuckles cracked as his fists tightened by his side. Naru's step didn't falter as he moved closer to the hostile bassist.**

**"Laundry," came Naru's simple, chilling answer, along with one of his famous cheeky smirks. Mai's jaw dropped as she snorted furiously. Before Naru could spin around to face her, Mai was rushing out of the room, cheeks flaming red.**

**"TEASE!"**

**Thanks to LEva114 for editing**


End file.
